Borreliosis Lyme disease in Dogs and Cats

The immune system is a complex army of cells found through out your pet’s body that provides a fortified defense against unwanted invaders. It is an intricate system that keeps your pet healthy and protects them against allergens, viruses, bacteria, microbes, parasites, toxins, foreign fells and cellular mutations (healthy cells which have mutated into irregular cells). The immune system is tasked with protecting EVERY cell in the animal body. With so many pet parents wondering why and how to best support immunity in their dogs and cats, this article will highlight its role and provide practical suggestions.

A healthy immune system is resilient and powerful and up to the task of supporting normal, balanced function. The immune system is not intended to be suppressed or stimulated. But even an animal with a highly developed immune system can experience dysfunction or failure. In cases of dysfunction, an animal body requires whole body systemic support. If your pet’s immune system is weakened, every bodily system is at risk for disease.

When your animal’s immune system is triggered, and if it is not in balance, it sends an alarm throughout the body in instances such as exposure to fleas, pollen, chemicals or other inorganic materials. When immunity is not balanced, it becomes overactive or suppressed and is no longer able to tell the difference between its own body or a foreign invader. As a result, the animal body basically attacks its own immune system, opening the door to inflammation, infection and autoimmune disease.

Lyme disease, or Borreliosis, is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of a deer tick (black legged tick, or bear tick). Dogs are especially susceptible to this disease, while cats are less likely to contract this disease due to constant grooming. This bacterial infection can affect one animal differently to the next. Lyme disease can also affect humans.

The bacterial agent responsible to Lyme disease is the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. This disease is found in most countries around the world and transmitted by ticks. Ticks have a three stage life-cycle (larvae, nymph and adult).

The early stages of Lyme, also referred to the localized stage, is accompanied by a rash, called erythema migrans, which will appear at the site of the tick bite, usually between three days to a few weeks.

During the nymph stage, Lyme disease infection is most likely. The nymph tick embeds itself into your dog’s skin for several days before causing symptoms of Lyme disease. The nymph tick is so small (pin-head size) that they are often over-looked by pet owners.

Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-transmitted disease in the northern hemisphere and is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi strain. A complete presentation of the disease begins with a skin lesion results from a tick bite and is followed by heart and nervous system involvement, and later on by arthritis. Late stage progression of the diseases includes deterioration of the eyes, nervous system, joints, and even skin. The only sign that enables a reliable clinical diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis is erythema migrans. Other features of some diagnostic value are earlobe lymphocytoma, meningoradiculoneuritis (Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth syndrome), and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.

Most antibiotics work by destroying the cell wall of bacteria, however, the Borrelis burgdorferi (Bb) bacterium of Lyme is corkscrew in shape and can bore into cartilage and tissue (brain and endocrine system), avoiding detection by antibiotics AS WELL AS can change shape to live within cell walls (intracellular), evading the reach of antibiotics. Finally, microbes living within cell walls help disguise Lyme spirochetes and develop resistance to antibiotics, potentially making antibiotics useless for some pets and people.

Treatment with antibiotics are typically beneficial for early stages of Lyme borreliosis, but new strains have steadily resisted antibiotic treatment and some of the new strains have been identified as antibiotic-resistant.

Research is also ongoing in the treatment of Lyme disease due to its immunomodulation action on neurotoxins. Once infected by Lyme disease, spirochetes or spiral shaped bacteria, worm their way into muscles, tendons and practically every organ in the animal body. Once embedded, they begin dismantling the body’s immune defenses, leaving the body open to other pathogens. Most antibiotics work by destroying the cell wall of bacteria, however, the Borrelis burgdorferi (Bb) bacterium of Lyme can exist without the cell wall, but also, the bacteria can change forms or hide to avoid detection by introduction of antibiotics into the body, making antibiotics useless in some cases.

Even worse, Lyme has presented new strains of bacterium that are resistant to antibiotics and once the course is complete, the strain returns with even greater ferocity. The introduction of a holistic Lyme regimen, particularly Noni, has been established as an important addition due to its immune system modulating effect, its use as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, its cellular protective properties and its ability to block bio-neurotoxin molecular actions. When combined with Cat’s Claw Extract, the defense against Lyme is even greater. One studied cited an average of 60 percent of patients improved after Lyme infection by utilizing a Noni/Cat’s Claw regimen.

A growing body of research exists with the CDC that there is a link between Borreliosis infection (also known as Chronic Lyme Disease) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Once infected, Lyme can present a dizzying array of symptoms in animals including skin lesions, bone pain, lameness, fever and chills, heaviness in legs, dizziness and loss of balance, memory loss, acute fatigue and lethargy and mild to severe neuropathy. Due to the explosion of toxic microbes in the body replicating on a continual basis, it is not only difficult to isolate and identify the symptoms, but also to attribute these symptoms to Lyme.

Although a Lyme vaccine exists, it has not proven to be effective. There is no effective vaccine in development for Lyme.

Herbal Nutrition - (listed in order of relevance and recommendation by holistic vets)

Herbal remedies may be used as a compliment and adjunctive treatment for Lyme disease; as an adjunct to the antibiotics; to help promote balanced immune response and to boost immunity when underperforming; help attack microbes that encourage Lyme dissemination; may help provide neuro protective benefits by safely crossing the blood-brain barrier, which is vital with Lyme infection to help protect healthy brain cells; may help protect the neurological, endocrine and immune/digestive system response; as a restorative liver tonic; to promote systemic liver health; to improve red blood cell integrity, immunity and liver function; help to prevent breakdown of red blood cells, fever, exhaustion and fluid loss.

Lyme disease can be a debilitating condition for dogs and cats, so if your animal shows signs of Lyme disease, it is very important to act quickly and get your dog to the vet for a check up. Your vet will inspect your animal for ticks visible to the naked eye and blood tests may be performed to check for the bacteria in the blood.

Both animals and humans are generally prescribed amoxicillin or doxycycline for the treatment of Lyme disease (to kill the spirochete). For more advanced cases, Tetracycline or penicillin is also used. Vaccines are available for both pets and humans, although their use is still fairly new and effectiveness has not been established.

* The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements refer to holistic uses only and are not supported by medical research. The information contained in this plant file is intended for education, entertainment and information purposes only. This information is not intended to be used to diagnose, prescribe or replace proper medical care. The plant described herein is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, mitigate or prevent any disease or condition.
* As indicated by holistic veterinarians.

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